Thursday's Child (1943)

Middle class chemist Frank Wilson and his wife Ellen Wilson are looking forward to a visit from family friend, Charles Lennox, who has just returned to London following extended time away in France. Arguably, it is their eldest daughter, twenty year old Phoebe Wilson, who is most looking forward to his visit as he not only secured her current job for her working at a beauty parlor under Madame Felicia, but in his raised position in society she is hoping that he will again do the same in an introduction of sorts to the appropriate people to achieve her current career goal of becoming a film actress. While Mr. Lennox does provide an introduction of another kind for her to screenwriter David Penley who tries to dissuade her from pursuing such a career, Phoebe is nonetheless able to secure a meeting through other means with Oswald Hemming, the Casting Director at Marathon Pictures. However, Phoebe, in that meeting, is overshadowed by who accompanies her to the studio, her twelve year old sister Fennis Wilson, who catches the attention of many studio executives despite Fennis having no inclination toward a career in the business with her current thoughts on academics. Regardless, the movie executives are able to push the right buttons for Fennis to agree at least to proceed with a screen test for a specific part. Fennis moving into a film career tears the family in different directions. Conservative Frank has never taken risks in his life and sees this move for Fennis as a risk, he who cannot see beyond his narrow vision, such as believing their son, Jim Wilson, will follow in his footsteps not understanding that Jim neither has the aptitude or want to do so. Ellen, who blames Frank for their middling lot in life in not having done the same as Mr. Lennox years ago which ended up raising his position in society, now dotes on Fennis in this all out pursuit of a lucrative film life for her at the expense of all else. And while she is both happy for and jealous of Fennis, Phoebe, who still wants that film life for herself, now feels like the invisible offspring, especially to her mother. Caught in the middle is Fennis, who arguably has the clearest mind in what is best for herself.